Editorial | An efficient system of common schools

Kentucky has a long and colorful history when it comes to funding - or, more correctly - trying not to adequately fund its public schools.

Our forebears recognized the duty of the state to offer a public education to children. That's why it's in the state Constitution that Kentucky must "provide for an efficient system of common schools throughout the state."

Yet anti-tax backlash repeatedly has stalled education in this state and now it has erupted in Jefferson County, where a noisy group of opponents expressed outrage last week that the Jefferson County Board of Education voted to increase property taxes, the main mechanism to fund public schools, by 1.4 percent.

Confronted by a barrage of anti-tax sentiment, the board backed off a higher increase and voted to increase the property tax by one cent per $100,000 of assessed property value.

The increase the board approved means the district tax rate will rise from 70 cents per $100,000 to 71 cents. That means the owner of a $100,000 home will pay $10 more per year, less than $1 a month, to help support Jefferson County schools.

And it will generate about $8 million a year for the school district, far less than the $17 million school officials had hoped for to cover basic costs - employee raises, new textbooks and other expenses.

No one knows better the needs of local schools than those who work in them trying to educate students, meet the demands of the community and serve as a social safety net for the many impoverished and homeless children in the classrooms.

"As a homeowner myself, I am not a big fan of tax increases. As a JCPS principal, I understand that this request for more revenue is based on real, specific needs for students," principal Stephen Tyra of Bowen Elementary told The Courier-Journal's Antoinette Konz.

Draconian federal and state budget cuts have come home to roost in the local schools, Jefferson County and statewide, likely to hurt the poor, disabled and pre-school children the most.

Jefferson County alone expects about $3.5 million in federal "sequestration" cuts this fall. In addition, the state has cut $1.5 million from its education programs.

While tax opponents stormed out of last Monday's school board meeting in fury, cooler heads could argue - with facts and history on their side - that the increase is too low.

David Karem, longtime education advocate and member of the state Board of Education, notes the current state board members strongly advocate to local school boards that they routinely adopt the maximum 4 percent annual increase allowed by law. If boards seek anything higher, they must put the matter to voters through a local referendum.

This 4 percent cap came about through a wave of anti-tax sentiment in the late 1970s, culminating in the legislature's decision to limit taxing districts to annual increases of no more than 4 percent without voter approval. The cap of 4 percent was considered a reasonable limit for school boards to keep up with costs and create a stable funding base for education.

Yet many school districts throughout Kentucky opt for lower amounts even in times of financial distress, to appease the voters and presumably, keep their jobs. That means they lose forever the additional funds they let go.

Kentuckians may recall that the Kentucky Education Reform Act of 1990, the landmark effort to upgrade public education, began as a tax fight. A group of school superintendents, sick of local Property Valuation Administrators' tactic of assessing property too low to keep taxes low and voters happy, filed a lawsuit and won.

That not only created a stable funding base by forcing accurate property assessments, it spurred lawmakers to upgrade the educational system overall.

Now the anti-tax backlash has resurfaced in Jefferson County, threatening future funding for schools.

Taxpayers have the right to demand tax money is well spent by public entities, including school systems.

Jefferson County will have a much better understanding of how well the school board manages funds once state Auditor Adam Edelen completes an audit of the school system's administration. Mr. Edelen expects the audit to be complete sometime next year.

If it finds shortcomings, it's up to the school board to seek improvement.

But if it demonstrates the need for more funds, the board must have the courage to seek adequate tax increases. Simply mollifying anti-tax protesters, as Kentucky history shows, won't help the public schools or the Commonwealth.

Louisville, Kentucky • Southern Indiana

ADVERTISEMENT

Most Popular

Most Commented

More Headlines

Most Viewed

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Email this article

Editorial | An efficient system of common schools

Kentucky has a long and colorful history when it comes to funding ? or, more correctly ? trying not to adequately fund its public schools.